Metering device

ABSTRACT

A device for pouring and measuring a volume of fluid from a container threaded to the device includes a liquid storage chamber disposed above the container when upright. An opening in the storage chamber receives fluid from the container when inverted. A vent tube connects the ambient to the container interior. A volume measuring chamber is disposed beneath and connected to the storage chamber via a fluid passage so that fluid in the storage chamber pours into the measuring chamber through the passage when the container is upright. The opening in the storage chamber connected to the container interior has a predetermined spaced relationship above the measuring volume chamber for dumping liquid in excess of the measured volume back into the upright container. A pour chamber receives the measured volume when the container is inverted for preventing the measured volume fluid from returning to the storage chamber through the fluid passage.

The present invention relates to metering devices for measuring and pouring a volume of a fluid.

Prior art metering and pouring devices, e.g., spouts, are widely used to prepare drinks wherein the device serves to meter and pour the contents of a liquor bottle into a glass. The liquor, being a relatively expensive commodity, is poured to a predetermined measure commonly referred to as "shot" measures. To aid in such measuring, "shot" glasses also may be provided. In one instance, the pouring spout is merely a nozzle attached to the bottle for providing an easy pour into the "shot" glass. Often to save time, employees of establishments using such techniques may forego the "shot" glass and estimate the measure pour by "eye". This method can be costly due to the excess volumes that might be poured.

Other pouring spouts are commercially available for providing premeasured "shots" during the pouring processes, however, such devices are relatively slow and inconvenient. Such devices may include passive units which provide a measured flow in accordance with a valve system and a number of chambers. One such system is disclosed and described in our co-pending patent application Ser. No. 699,689 filed June 25, 1976, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,063,666, entitled Metering Device and Method and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Other devices utilize mechanical means for providing a measured quantity. Such devices are complex and expensive.

A device for measuring and pouring a given volume of a heavier-than-air fluid from a fluid source includes a fluid storage chamber for receiving a volume of fluid greater in value than the given volume via an opening when the chambers are in an inverted orientation. A fluid volume measuring chamber smaller than, secured to, and in fluid communication with the storage chamber receives the fluid stored in the storage chamber when the chambers are placed in an upright orientation. Th opening has a predetermined spaced relationship with respect to the measuring chamber for determining the given volume by overflowing fluid in excess of the given volume from the chambers when the chambers are in the upright orientation. Means are provided in fluid communication with the measuring chamber for receiving and pouring the measured given volume when the chambers are in the inverted orientation.

IN THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view of a pouring and metering device constructed and operated in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a side elevation sectional view through the device of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a plan sectional view through the device of FIG. 1 taken along lines 3--3, and

FIG. 4 is a side elevation sectional view of a second embodiment of a volume determining member for use in the device of FIG. 1.

In FIG. 1, metering spout 10 is threaded to a bottle 12 and is shown in the upright position with respect to gravity. The spout 10 is a passive device (no moving parts) which automatically provides a measured volume of liquid stored in bottle 12 when the bottle 12 is inverted from the position shown in the direction 14 to a pour position. Each time the bottle is replaced to the upright position, FIG. 1, spout 10 stores and measures a volume of liquid which is almost instantaneously dispensed when the bottle 12 is tipped to the inverted position. As will be described, spout 10 also includes a feature by which the liquid may be poured continuously through the spout in addition to providing a premeasured volume. This continuous pour feature is especially valuable in those instances where intermittent "shots" are not desired and a continuous pour is desired. Further, upon completion of the continuous pour mode, when the bottle 12 is reverted to the upright position, FIG. 1, the spout 10 is once again ready to pour a premeasured volume.

With reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, spout 10 is formed of three thermoplastic members 14, 16 and 18. The separate members 14, 16 and 18 are provided for the purpose of ease of manufacture from suitable thermoplastic molds and for simplicity of construction. The members are readily molded in a conventional manner as known in the thermoplastic molding art and comprise three relatively simple pieces with no moving parts which readily assemble and which may be secured by a suitable cement (not shown).

Prior to discussing the construction of each of the members 14, 16 and 18 as separate pieces, the following description concerns the general construction and operation of the spout. Spout 10 includes an upper storage chamber 20, a lower liquid volume measuring chamber 22 in fluid communication with upper chamber 20 through a dump hole 24 disposed in the bottom wall 26 of chamber 20. Disposed above wall 26 is a second bottom wall 28. Wall 28 is raised above wall 26 by a stanchion 30 through which is disposed tapered hole 32 which provides fluid communication between the bottle 12 interior 34 and chamber 20. Chamber 20 is defined by bottom wall 28, outer wall 36, and inner upstanding side wall 38 which is joined to wall 36 at the sides and top, and bottom wall 28 at the lower most edge. Integral with wall 38 is vent tube 40 which extends below wall 26 into the interior 34. The exterior wall of tube 40 also defines part of chamber 20. Vent tube 40 is open at the upper end (through wall 36) to the ambient and at the lower end (in interior 34) tapers to a small vent aperture 42. Wall 38 with tube 40 divides the upper interior volume of the spout into a second chamber 44 which is further defined by outer wall 37, top wall 46, and bottom wall 26. A hole 48 is provided in wall 26 between chamber 44 and chamber 22 for providing immediate emptying into chamber 44 of at least a portion of the liquid 50 stored in chamber 22 when the spout is tipped in direction 14 as will be explained. Disposed in top wall 46 is a suitable apertured nozzle 52 for pouring the measured volume of liquid 50 through chamber 44 into the ambient when the spout is tipped in direction 14.

Chamber 22 is a ring shaped chamber which straddles the upper neck of bottle 12. The outer wall of chamber 22 is formed by substantially cylindrical walls 36" and 36'. Wall 36" depends downwardly from walls 36 and 37 via intermediate wall 36'. The lower most edge of wall 36" is joined to an inner concentric substantially cylindrical wall 54 via bottom wall 62. Inner wall 54 terminates at its upper end in a relatively thicker internally threaded section 56 which is threaded to receive the threads of a typical bottle 12. A gasket 58 is disposed between the bottle 12 upper lip and the underside of bottom wall 26 to bottle 12 interior 34. Tube 40 extends through wall 26 in a fluid tight seal with wall 26. Thus no fluid flows between the tube 40 and wall 26 when the bottle is tipped in direction 14.

Chamber 22 is elongated in direction 60 and relatively narrow in width between walls 36" and 54 in the transverse direction forming a narrow trough-like chamber. This is important for the reason that with such construction small changes in volume of a fluid in chamber 22 produce relatively large changes in depth of fluid. For example, to illustrate this relationship, the spacing between walls 36" and 54 can be about 0.150 inches while the depth from wall 26 to wall 62 within chamber 22 can be about 1.5 inches. Thus, control of the depth of the liquid 50 in chamber 22 provides a simple, but accurate control of the volume of liquid 50. The determining factor for measuring the volume of liquid 50 in chamber 22 when upright is the distance d of the upper surface of wall 28 facing chamber 20 above the inner surface of wall 62. This volume is the measured volume to be provided by spout 10. This is the volume of chamber 22. Any liquid which may temporarily exist above wall 28 when in the upstanding position, FIG. 2, will flow through hole 32 into the interior 34. It is readily apparent that distance d determines the volume of chamber 22. Thus, volume 22 is defined by walls 36", 62, 54, 26, exterior upstanding wall 36' disposed between walls 36 and 36", stanchion 30 and the portion of wall 38 disposed between bottom walls 26 and 28.

Hole 32 is provided with a narrow neck at wall 28 which tapers outwardly into a wider hole 66 at the lower edge next adjacent bottle 12 lip. It can be determined empirically that the taper of hole 32 increases the flow rate of any liquid above wall 28 through hole 32 into volume 34. It is believed this taper permits air from interior 34 to enter chamber 20 through hole 32 to replace the excess liquid in chamber 20 dumping back into interior 34. This is important to minimize the time interval between the pouring of measured volumes by allowing the liquid in chamber 20 to dump quickly into interior 34 after returning the bottle to the upright position. Hole 24 is provided a substantially larger transverse area than hole 32 at wall 28 by a ratio of about at least 4:1. This ratio is provided for alcoholic liquids. It is to be understood that this ratio may change for other fluids.

In operation, spout 10 is threaded to bottle 12 so that wall 26 is sealed against the upper lip of the bottle. Vent tube 40 extends into interior 34 for venting ambient air directly into interior 34. Except for hole 32, wall 26 completely seals the interior 34 from chambers 20, 22 and 44. At this time there is no liquid in any portion of spout 10. In use, the bottle is inverted in direction 14 so that the nozzle 52 is beneath chamber 44. The angle to which the spout 10 is inverted is not critical. Liquid 50 within interior 34 pours through hole 32 into chamber 20. Chamber 20 is made larger in volume than chamber 22 so that at all times the liquid in chamber 20 when pouring into chamber 22 will overfill chamber 22 at least to or above wall 28. The bottle is held in this position for a few seconds until chamber 20 is filled. This can be determined by the appearance of liquid pouring out of nozzle 52 via the connecting hole 24 between chamber 20 and chamber 22 which liquid then flows directly into chamber 44 out nozzle 52. The bottle is now reverted to the upstanding position of FIGS. 1 and 2. The liquid in upper chamber 20 almost immediately pours through hole 24 into lower chamber 22. While some liquid may pass through hole 32 during this action, the relatively larger hole 24 with respect to hole 32 is such that chamber 22 always fills up to and over wall 28. While the ratio of the transverse area of hole 24 to hole 32 is about four times for conventional liquors, it can be determined empirically for a given fluid specific gravity that greater or smaller ratios may also provide this action. The factor determining the ratio of area of hole 24 to the area of hole 32 is that there is a race of fluid flowing to chamber 22 and interior 34 and, in every instance, chamber 22 should fill up to and, preferably, over wall 28 to provide accurate measure of the liquid in chamber 22. Since the volume of liquid in chamber 20 is greater than the volume measured by chamber 22, the liquid overfills chamber 22 so that it overflows through hole 32 into interior 34. It is essential that this action occur each and every time for all fluids whether they be a loose granular medium such as salt, sugar, powdery substances, liquids or even gases which are heavier than air and which would fill chamber 22 by gravity action when in the upright position. The flow of liquid or fluid is caused in all cases by gravity.

It should be apparent that as liquid flows from chamber 20 through hole 24 into chamber 22 the volume of liquid formerly in chamber 20 must be displaced by air. This air is provided by vent tube 40. The air flows through vent tube 40 into interior 34 and thence through hole 32 into chamber 20. Thus, the transverse area of tube 40 also has an importance with respect to providing sufficient air flow to chamber 20 as the liquid dumps into chamber 22. The relatively smaller aperture 42 at the lower end of tube 40 prevents the flow of any substantial amount of liquid 50 when the bottle 12 is tipped to the inverted position, it being undesirable for liquid to flow out of vent tube 40 into the ambient, as can be appreciated. The relative transverse areas of tube 40, hole 42, hole 32 and hole 24 can be determined by one of ordinary skill in the fluid mechanics art. The following relationships are given as illustrative only and are not to be construed as limiting. Tube 40 can have an upper diameter of about 0.2 inches and an aperture 42 diameter of about 0.045 inches for an alcoholic liquid. Hole 32 can have a smaller diameter of about 0.2 inches which tapers about 15° with the vertical to the larger opening a distance of about 0.14 inches. Wall 28 can be spaced from bottom wall 62 distance d of about 1.67 inches above wall 62 for a 7/8 ounce volume 22. The inner transverse diameter of wall 36" can be about 1.73 inches. Other relationships are noted above in the exemplary embodiment.

To dispense the measured volume of liquid 50 stored in chamber 22, the bottle 12 is tipped to the inverted position direction 14. Liquid 50 immediately pours almost instantaneously into chamber 44 due to the absence of any restriction between chambers 22 and 44 filling chamber 44 to the extent of the volume of liquid 50. This almost instantaneously filling of chamber 44 is important for the reason that when the bottle is tipped in the inverted position it is undesirable that any of the liquid 50 flows through hole 24 back into chamber 20 during the pour mode. Obviously this will reduce the measured volume of liquid 50 and provide an inaccurate measure. A relatively smaller aperture is provided in nozzle 52 to conveniently pour the liquid from chamber 44 to the ambient.

During the emptying of chamber 44 it is apparent that simultaneously therewith chamber 20 is being filled with liquid from interior 34 through hole 32. The volume of liquid from chamber 44 with respect to the volume of chamber 20 is made such that chamber 44 will empty prior to chamber 20 filling. The time interval between the emptying of chamber 44 and the filling completely of chamber 20 is preferably set in the range of about 1-4 seconds. This interval can be altered as desired by altering, for example, the volume relationships of chambers 22 and 20. It is to be understood that once chamber 20 fills completely, liquid will continuously flow through hole 24 to hole 48 into chamber 44 and out nozzle 52. At this time there will be no longer a measured volume but a continuous pouring of liquid until such time the bottle is reverted to the upright position. It will thus be apparent that the end of the pouring of the measured volume is signaled by a ceassation of flow of liquid through nozzle 52 for that set time interval of a few seconds. During that time interval, the bottle 12 may be reverted to the upright position. In this instance, an accurate, premeasured volume of liquid will have been poured and measured by the spout 10. Should it be desired to provide a continuous pour of liquid, then the bottle need only remain in the inverted position until the end of the flow delay time interval. During this time chamber 20 fills completely and liquid henceforth will flow out nozzle 52 until the bottle is placed upright.

Once the bottle is placed in the upright position, then the measuring action described above will repeat. In essence, the liquid in chamber 20 will pour through hole 24 into chamber 22 overflowing into hole 32 as described above providing a premeasured volume for the next pour.

As mentioned above, the spout 10 is provided with three members 14, 16 and 18. Member 16 includes bottom wall 28, stanchion 30, and peripheral wall 36' molded integral with bottom wall 28. Also molded integral with bottom wall 28 is lower vent tube section 40'. Disposed in the upper edge of wall 36' is shoulder 70 for interlocking therewith cylindrical wall 36 at the lower most edges of walls 36 and 37. Interlocked with the upper end of lower tube section 40' is upper tube section 40" which is molded integral with walls 36, 37 and 46, and nozzle 52. Stanchion 30 is a cylindrical member depending downward from wall 28 which is cemented to a suitable hole 80 in wall 26. Tube section 40' is cemented to a suitable hole 82 in wall 26. Walls 26, 54, 62 and 36" and section 56 form member 18. Walls 36' and 36" are interlocked at a suitable shoulder 84 in wall 36'. It would thus be apparent that three simple molded thermoplastic members inexpensively manufactured are readily cemented together to form spout 10.

Conveniently, member 16 may be provided in a number of different configurations wherein the dimension d, FIG. 2, may have different values while utilizing members 14 and 18 of an identical configuration of that shown and described in connection with FIG. 2. For example, in FIG. 4, member 100 may replace member 16 of FIG. 2. It will be noted the vent tube section 40' hole 42 may be the same in construction as that of the corresponding tube section of member 16. Member 100, however, has a relatively narrow wall 36" disposed between shoulders 70' and 84' as compared to wall 36', FIG. 2. Bottom wall 28' has a lower most surface 102 which is contiguous with the upper surface of wall 26. Stanchion 30 is absent in this construction. As a result the dimension d is reduced. This construction reduces the volume of chamber 22 accordingly. By providing a number of differently constructed members 100 having outer walls of different heights such as walls 36' and 36" and a bottom wall 28 disposed different distances d above chamber 22, with stanchions 30 of different lengths to connect walls 28 and 26, a number of different predetermined volumes can be provided chamber 22 with few parts. It is to be understood that such modifications to member 16 and member 100 may be provided by one of ordinary skill in the fluid mechanics art. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A device for measuring and pouring a given volume of a heavier-than-air fluid from a fluid source comprising:a fluid storage chamber adapted to be connected to said source for receiving from said source by gravity a volume of said fluid greater in value than said given volume through a first opening in said storage chamber when said storage chamber is in a first inverted orientation, a fluid volume measuring chamber smaller than, secured to, and in fluid communication with said storage chamber for receiving fluid stored in said storage chamber when said chambers are placed in a second upright orientation, said first opening having a predetermined spaced relationship with respect to said measuring chamber for determining said given volume by overflowing fluid in excess of said given volume from said chambers when said chambers are in said second upright orientation, said chambers having a common fluid port for transfering said fluid from said storage chamber to said measuring chamber, said common fluid port having a first transverse area, said opening having a second transverse area smaller than said first area for permitting said given volume of fluid to flow into said measuring chamber, vent conduit means positioned in direct fluid isolation from each said chambers and secured to at least one of said chambers for venting said source with ambient air when said storage chamber is connected to said source, and means in fluid communication with said measuring chamber for receiving and pouring said given volume to the ambient when said chambers are in said inverted orientation.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein said first transverse area is greater than said second transverse area by about at least 4:1.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein said receiving and pouring means includes a pour chamber having a fluid transfer port, said transfer port being disposed between said pour chamber and said measuring chamber for transfering fluid from said measuring chamber to said pour chamber when in said inverted orientation, said common port being disposed adjacent one side of said storage chamber and said receiving and pouring means being disposed adjacent the side of said device opposite said one side.
 4. A fluid pouring and metering device comprising:a hollow housing including a side wall, a top wall, and a bottom wall, an upstanding wall disposed in the hollow of said housing connected to said walls for dividing said housing into first and second chambers, said bottom wall having first, second and third openings, said first opening being disposed in communication with said first chamber, said second and third openings being disposed in communication with said second chamber, and a third chamber depending from said side and bottom walls, said third chamber being in fluid communication with said first and third openings, said second chamber being greater in volume than said third chamber, said second opening being smaller in transverse area than said third opening by an amount such that fluid disposed in and flowing from said second chamber through said second and third openings by the force of gravity when said second chamber is disposed above said third chamber with respect to gravity fills said third chamber to a minimum level defined by the position of said second opening, said minimum level defining a given volume in said third chamber whereby inversion of said third chamber above said first chamber permits the flow of said given volume into said first chamber through said first opening to provide a metered volume of said fluid.
 5. The device of claim 4 wherein said third chamber includes first and second concentric annular walls connected at one end to form a hollow annular trough, the other ends of said first and second walls being respectively connected to said side and bottom walls.
 6. The device of claim 4 further including means secured to said housing for receiving and releaseably securing a fluid container in communication with said second opening, and vent means secured to said housing for providing a fluid vent conduit depending from said bottom wall adjacent said second opening in fluid communication with the interior of said container when secured to said housing.
 7. The device of claim 4 wherein said first and third openings are disposed diametrically opposite each other in said bottom wall.
 8. The device of claim 4 wherein said top wall has a fourth opening in fluid communication with said first chamber and the ambient. 